Sara Jenkins, Business & Education Coordinator CNC
“Sefa have been incredibly helpful in the funding process and we look forward to working with them to show our small, rural community the benefits of social enterprise.”
More about Corryong Neighbourhood Centre ↓
Like many rural Australian towns, the local community in Corryong faces economic challenges and high youth unemployment. The Corryong Neighbourhood Centre (CNC) has been involved in youth work and community engagement for more than 15 years, creating opportunities through education and social inclusion.
When Sefa first encountered CNC, they were largely dependent on government and philanthropic funding to deliver programs and services, which include social inclusion groups, youth activities, community services and the management of local events. A reliance on external funding in a challenging market meant that project delivery was complicated and sometimes uncertain.
Sefa's support ↓
CNC initially purchased a commercial bakery with a loan from Sefa. Due to the bakery’s success, Sefa provided an additional loan, alongside a grant from The William Buckland Foundation for CNC to purchase an existing mechanic workshop to deliver further benefits to the local community.
Impact achieved ↓
The bakery and mechanic workshop have both been transformed into social enterprises and provide opportunities for vocational training and meaningful employment for youth and long-term unemployed. The enterprises also generate much needed additional profits for CNC to become independent from government grants.
